Pleasantly surprised

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2003)

After The Beach I wasn't expecting much from the Garland/Boyle combo. However 28 Days later really surprised me, from the grim opening shots of London as a wasteland it grabs you by the jugular.
Alot of things have been "borrowed" from other sci/fi horror movies most notably George Romero zombie films but 28 days still feels fresh. The spin in this film is the "zombies" aren't stupid, slow cabbages. They are more like rabid rottweilers with ultra bloodshot eyes intent on only one thing, finishing you off.
There are plenty of moments of terror, as you would expect. It is also very violent. There is a particular scene involving a soldier having his eyes gouged out.
Where I think the film falls down a little is in the ending. The majority of the film is bleak and downbeat, I felt the ending was out of sync with the rest of the movie. A bit like the original ending of Blade Runner. Nevertheless it is still one of the best horror movies I've seen in ages and far better than the usual Hollywood multiplex rubbish we usually see being put on our screens